Sheet-music turner



- PATBNTBD JAN. 19, 1904;

E.DOUDEN. SHEET MUSIC TURNER.

APPLIOA' IIOH FILED SEPT. 25, 1901.

-z SHEETS-SHEET 1.

NO MODEL.

TI'ORNEYS flJ/TNESSES f? 7* PATEIITEDJAIILlQ, 1904.

E. DOUDEN. SHEET MUSIC TURNER. APPLICATION FILED $32125, 1901.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

no MODEL.

WITNESSES $2 -J r7 ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES fiatented January 19, 1904.

EDIV IN DOUDEN, OF BROOKLYN, NEIV YORK.

SHEET-MUSIC TURNER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 7 50,101, dated January 19, 1904. Application filed Septemhel 25,1901. Serial No. 76,454. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN DOUDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet-Music Turners, of which the following is a full and complete specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved device for turning sheet-music and adapted to be connected with a piano or other musical instrument of this class over the keyboard and by means of which sheetmusic can be quickly and conveniently turned Whenever desired; and with this and other objects in view the invention consists of a device of the class specified constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a front view of my improved music-turner; Fig. 2, a plan view of a casing which forms a part thereof; Fig. 3, a similar view of said casing, showing the top thereof removed and showing the operative mechanism. Fig. i is a back view of a vertically-adjustable holder employed at the top of the vertically-adjustable back frame of my improved sheet-music turner. Fig. 5 shows a front view and side view, respectively, of a clamp, three of which are employed in my improved music-turner; Fig. 6, a plan view of certain details of the construction, showing one of the turning-arms of the holder and parts in connection with which it operates; Fig. 7, a left-hand side view of the construction shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 8, a side view of another form of clamp which I employ; Fig. 9, a side view of a crank-arm which I employ for operating the turning-arms of the device, and Fig. 10 a planview of the central part of the vertically-adjustable back frame which forms a part of my improved music-turner and showing also a holder or clamp connected therewith.

In the practice of my invention I provide an oblong casing 2, open at the front and preferably composed of sheet metal and which comprises a bottom 2*, a back 2 and a top 2, and in this casing is placed the operative mechanism of my improved sheet music turner, said mechanism being of the following construction.

At each side of the middle of the casing 2 I place vertically-arranged shafts 3 and l, and these shafts are respectively provided with pinions 3 and l or other suitable gears, and the shaft 3 is also provided with a throwingarm 3, which is provided at the outer end and at the inner edge thereof with an upwardly-directed lug or projection 3 and the shaft 4 is provided with a throwing-arm l, which is provided near its outer end and the inner edge thereof with an upwardly-chrected lug or projection 4t. 1

Pivoted at the left-hand side of the shaft 0 and at a predetermined distance therefrom, as shown at 5, is a segmental gear 5, provided with a shank 5", through which the pivotpin at 5 passes, and this shank 5 of the segmental gear 5 is provided with a backwardly and outwardlydirected arm 5, against which bears a spring 5, which is secured to the back of the casing 2, as shown at 5 Pivoted at the right-hand side of the shaft 4, as shown at 6, is a segmental gear 6, similar to the segmental gear 5, and this segmental gear 6 is provided with a shank 6 through which the pivot-pin 6 passes, and said shank 6 is provided with a laterally and baclnvardly directed arm 6, similar to the arm 5 of the segmental gear 5 and against the end of which bears a spring 6, which is secured to the back of the casing 2 at 6 and in the operation of the device, as hereinafter described, the segmental gears 5 and 6 operate in connection with the pinions 8 and 4c of the shafts 3 and 4E.

Secured to the bottom 2 of the casing 2 in front of the segmental gear 5 are hangers 7, between which is pivoted an angle-arm 7, one member of which is arranged vertically, as shown at 7 and the other horizontally, as shown at 7, and the vertically-arranged member of said arm is provided at its lower end with a handle 7 while the horizontally-arranged arm, which extends backwardly over the bottom plate 2 of the casing 2, as shown at 7", is loosely connected with the segmental gear 5 by means of a link 7 O or in any other desired manner.

Secured to the bottom plate 2 of the casing 2 in front of the segmental gear 6 are hangers 8, upon which is pivoted an angle-arm 8, similar in all respects to the angle-arm 7 and comprising a vertically-arranged member 8 and a backwardly-directed horizontal member 8, which is loosely connected by means of a link 8 with the segmental gear 6, and the lower end of the vertically-arranged member Si l of the angle-arm 8 is provided with a hane It will be understood that the pinions 3 and 4: and the throwing-arms 3 and 4c" are rigidly secured to their respective shafts 3 and 4t, and loosely mounted on the shaft 4, above the arm 4 are two music-turning arms 9 and 10, provided at their outer ends with vertically-arranged spring-clamps 9.

The arm 9, the connection of which with the shaft 4: is below the arm 10, is also preferably provided near its pivoted end with a supplemental vertically arranged springclamp 9, similar to the clamps 9 and adjacent to each'end of the casing 2, as shown in Fig. 1, is a vertically-arranged spring-clamp 11, each of which consists of a back member 11 and a front member 11 as indicated in Fig. 3.

Pivotally connected with the top 2 of the casing 2 by means of upwardly-directed lugs or projections 12 is a vertically-adjustable frame comprising two bars 13 and two supplemental bars 14;, which are pivotally connected with the ends of the bars 13, as shown at 15, and one of the bars 13 is provided centrally with a longitudinal slot 16, through which passes a bolt 17, provided with a thumbscrew 18, and the bars 1% are pivotally connected at 19, and by means of this construction the height of the back frame may be adjusted, as will be readily understood, and the pivot-pin 19 is provided at its front end with a disk or plate 20 and at its rear end with a thumb-nut 21, as clearly shown in Fig. 10, and the plate 20 is provided with verticallyarranged keepers 22, in which is mounted an arm 23, provided with a spring-clamp 24:, similar to the clamps 9 and 9".

The clamps 9, 9, and 2 1 are of the form and construction shown in Fig. 5 and consist of a back plate 25, to one side of which is secured near the end thereof, as shown at 26, a spring 27, and the clamp member 28 is provided at one end with a neck 29, passing through a slot 30, formed in the plate 25 near the free end of the spring 27 and which bears on said spring, and the free end of the clampplate 28, acting in connection with the end of the plate 25 at 31, serves to hold the music or the sheets thereof.

A transverse block 32 is secured to the bottom 2 of said casing near the right-hand end thereof, and adjacent to said block a similarly arranged inclined or stepped block 33 is secured to the adjacent spring 6, and said block 32 serves to limit the outward movement of said spring, and these parts are elearl y shown in Figs. 3, 6, and 7. The transverse block 32 also facilitates the operation of the arms 9 and 10, and for this purpose said block is provided with an upwardlv .irected portion 32, having a transverse not! or recess 32 near the rear end thereof, in wich the arm 10 rests when in its normal position, and said portion 31 of the block 32 is also provid ed with other notcl es or recesses 32, which aid in retaining the arm 9 in its normal position before it is turned to t e left, and said arms 9 and 10 are provided with downwardly-di rected members or flanges, as shown in Fig. 7, which rest in said notch a or recesses when said arms are turned to the right in their normal position. It will also be observrd that one of the steps of the block is piovided with an upwardly and fOlWEli ly iucl led portion 33, which in the normal po 'tion of said block is opposite the notch or recess 32" in the upwardly-directed portion 32 of the transverse block 32, as clearly shown in Fig. 7, the object of this construction being to facilitate the movement of the arm 10, as hereinafter described. 1 also preferably connect with the bars 1 1 of the vertically-adjustable back frame, near the pivotal connection at 19, batters or supports 34:, whicl are clearly sl -own in Fig. 1 and a back View of one of which is shown in Fig. 1. hese buffers or supports are each provided at its lower end with a longitrdinal slot 35, through which passes a pin 36, provided with a setscrew or thumb-nvt 37, and by means of this construction the buffers or supports 31 may be vertically adjustable and turned to any desired angle, and in the top of each of said buffers or supports is a vertically-movable keeper 38, held in vertically-arranged guides 39,with which each of said buffers is provided, and each of said keepers 38 is provided with a head 10, of rubber or other suitable material, and pivotally connected with each of the keepers 38, as shown at 4:1, is a lever 42, with which is connected a supplemental link 13, which is pivotally connected with the body of the buffer at 44, and each of the levers 42 I is provided with a handle 15, and by means thereof the keepers 38 may be raised and lowered, as will be readily understood.

In practice my improved music-turner is placed on the ledge over the keyboard of the instrument, and the back frame is adjusted so that the buffers 34: will it beneath a similar top ledge or projection formed on or connected with the instrument, and by means of this construction the music-turner may be secured to the instrument, as will be readily understood.

The drawings forming part of this specification do not show the instrument, and consequently does not show the ledges between which the music-turner is placed, said illustration being deemed unnecessary for the purposes of this description.

The operation of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the following statement thereof.

In the drawings forming part of this specification the arm 9 is shown turned to the left, while the arm 10 is turned to the right, this position of these arms being best for the purposes of this description; but in practice the normal position of both of these arms is at the right, and when it is desired to place the music in position for turning both of said arms are turned to the right, if not already in such position. In turning the arm 9 to the right from the position shown in Fig. 3 all that is necessary is to press backwardly on the handle 7 of the angle-arm 7. This operation throws the segmental gear 5 forwardly and turns the shaft 3, and the arm 3 throws the arm 9 around to the right by means of the upwardly-directed lug or projection 3, which bears on said arm.

In practice a piece of sheet-music usually consists of a back, one sheet secured to the back and a loose sheet, and when it is desired to turn music of this class the separate sides of the back of the music are connected with the clamps 11 near the opposite ends of the casing 2, the loose sheet being connected with the clamp 9 of the arm 9 and with the clamp 24 at the top of the back frame, and the free edge of the sheet, which is secured to the back of the music, is connected with the clamp 9 of the arm 10. In turning the loose sheet all that is necessary is to press backwardly on the handle 8 of the angle-arm 8 and this operation throws forwardly the segmental gear 6 and turns the shaft 4, which operation throws forwardly the arm 4 and this arm by means of the lug or projection I turns the arm 9 and the sheet of music connected therewith. The rear arm 10 normally rests in the notch or recess 32 of the part 32 and on the inclined surface 33 of the block 33, and in the operation of turning the arm 9 the handle 8 of the angle-arm 8" is pushed backwardly, and this operation throws forwardly the segmental gear 6, the arm 6 of which forces backwardly the spring 6, which draws backwardly the block 33, and the inclined surface 33 of said block raises the arm 10, and said arm may then be operated upon by the next movement of the arm at", the lug t of which catches the arm 10, and said arm is also turned to the left, when the handle 8 is again pressed backwardly. The arm 9 in its normal position is not held by the notch or recess 32 in the part 32 and may be operated upon and turned to the left in the manner before described whenever desired. In the above operation of the parts the segmental gears 5 and 6 are held in the normal position or that shown in Fig. 3 by the springs 53 and 6, and after said gears have been moved outwardly by means of the angle-arm 8", so as to turn the arms 9 and 10 to the left, said gears are at once thrown back into the normal position by said springs 5 and 6.

The arms 9 and 10 may both be turned to the right by taking hold of the ends thereof, or these arms may also be turned to the right by operating the handle 7 of the angle-arm 7, this operation being the same as that of the angle-arm 8 in turning said arms 9 and 10 to the left.

The top plate 2 of the casing 2 is preferably provided at its front edge with horizontal forwardly-directed projections L6, which serve as supports for the bottom edges of the music-sheets when in their normal position, and corresponding upwardlydirected projections 47, any desired number of which may be employed and which prevent the bottom edges of the music-sheets from movingbackwardly. The arrangement of these projections both horizontal and vertical are clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the upwardlydirected lugs or projections 12, with which the adjustable back frame is connected, are also preferably formed integral with the top part of the casing.

In order to facilitate the operation of the throwing-arm l and the turning-arm 10 and the passage of the lug or projection 4: on the arm I" beneath the arm 10 in the backward movement of the arm a, the bottom edge of the arm 10 is preferably beveled backwardly, and the lug 4 maybe correspondingly beveled forwardly, so as to permit the said lug to pass under the arm 10, in which operation said arm is slightly raised.

It will be observed that the clamps 9, connected with the arms 9 and 10, project above the top 2 of the casing 2, so as to be readily connected with the music-sheets, and although I have described the operation of my improved sheet-music turner in connection with sheet-music having one loose sheet it will be apparent that the same may be employed in connection with sheet-music arranged in any desired way or in which all the sheets are secured together, if desired.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a music-sheet turner, a casing, vertically-arranged shafts mounted centrally thereof and each provided with a pinion, segmental spring-operated gears pivoted laterally of said shafts and operating in connection with said pinions, angle-arms pivotally supported at the front of said casing and connected with said gears, a spring throwing-arm connected with each of said shafts, and turning-arms mounted on one of said shafts and adapted to be operated upon by said throwing-arms, said musicturning arms being provided with clamps, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a music-sheet turner, a casing, vertically-arranged shafts mounted centrally thereof and eachprovided with apinion, segmental spring-operated gears pivoted laterally of said shafts and operating in connection with said pinions, angle-arms pivotally supported at the front of said casing and connected with said gears, a throwing-arm connected with each of said shafts, and turning-arms mounted on one of said shafts and adapted to be operated upon by said throwing-arms, said turning-arms being provided with clamps, said casing being also provided with a vertically-adjustable back frame provided at the top with pivotally-supported and vertically-adjustable buffers, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a sheet-music turner, a casing, vertically-arranged shafts mounted centrally thereof and each provided with a pinion, segmental spring-operated gears pivoted laterally of said shafts and operating in connection with said pinions, angle-arms pivotally supported at the front of said casing and connected with said gears, a throwing-arm connected with each of said shafts and turning-arms mounted on one of said shafts and adapted to be operated upon by said throwing-arms, said turning-arms being provided with clamps, said casing being also provided with a vertically-adjustable back frame provided at the top with pivotally-supported and vertically-adjustable buffers and also with a pivoted and spring clamp, substantially as shown and described.

4. Amusic-turner comprisinga casing open at the front and provided with means for turning separate sheets of music, said casing being also provided with a vertically-adjustable back frame having at the top pivoted and vertically-adjustable buffers, substantially as shown and described. 

